I left my dahlias in the ground over the winter, which I'm starting to think might not have been the smartest move. Should I expect to see them sprouting soon, or do I need to dig them up to check if they're still alive?
7 Answers
I didn’t bother digging mine up either. Just started seeing sprouts this week, so they might surprise you too!
My dahlias have been in the ground for five years, and I’ve never dug them up. They usually take their sweet time, so don’t panic if you don’t see any growth until June. If nothing appears by then, that’s when you should check for life!
I'm in the South West, and I've already spotted sprouting on mine! It seems like they’re waking up early here. You might just get lucky!
I had some new dahlias that didn't get enough water over winter. I've been watering them for three weeks now, and they are starting to look strong! Make sure they don’t get too dry.
I tried leaving mine in the ground, too, but they got hit hard by slugs. So now I dig them up to protect them. My friend leaves hers in as long as they’re frost and slug-free, and they do fine!
If your dahlias were in a fairly dry spot, they might pull through! I've had some that survived for years. Usually, the wet ground is more harmful than the cold. Don’t expect to see any growth until next month as the soil warms up, though!
I’m in the North of Ireland, and I’ve got two dahlias sprouting from pots I forgot about. The soil was really wet, which I thought would kill them, but what a nice surprise! Hope you get some growth too!
That’s a good plan! If they’re not up by June, I would definitely start digging.